M A I N   N E W S

PM visits blast sites, tells people to maintain calm
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, February 24
Three days after the twin bomb blasts rocked Hyderabad, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flew down to the city today to inspect the blast sites and consoled the victims undergoing treatment in two hospitals.

During the brief visit, the Prime Minister praised the people of Hyderabad for maintaining calm and refusing to be provoked by the nefarious act of terrorists.

He spent about five minutes at Anand Tiffin Centre in Dilsukhnagar where the first explosion had occurred on Thursday. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Director-General of Police V Dinesh Reddy and other officials briefed him about the incident and the progress of the ongoing probe.

Singh then walked down to the bus shelter near Venkatadri theatre, the scene of the second blast, about 150 metres away. The twin blasts had ripped through the crowded area, killing 16 persons and injuring over 120.

“I am here to stand in solidarity with the people of the city. I call upon the people to maintain calm in this hour of grief,” he said.

After inspecting the blast sites, the Prime Minister visited two private hospitals - Yashoda and Omni - and met the injured undergoing treatment. He spent about 25 minutes at the two hospitals, interacting with the patients and the doctors.

Singh assured the patients that the best possible treatment would be provided to them. He was briefed about the condition of each patient and the treatment being given to them.

Earlier, the Prime Minister, who landed at the old Begumpet airport by a special aircraft from Delhi around 11 am, was received, among others, by Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, and ministers P Lakshmaiah, Dr J Geeta Reddy and P Sabitha Indra Reddy. From Begumpet, the Prime Minister took a chopper to Victoria Memorial Home in Saroornagar. From there, he drove to Dilsukhnagar, the place where twin blasts took place.

“I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. To those who died, I send my condolences to the bereaved families. I have been assured by the state government that the best possible medical care is being made available to the injured,” Singh said.

Consoling the mother of one of the injured K Parmeshwar, he said all possible care would be provided to her son. “The staff will take all possible care of your son,” he told her. He also held a review meeting with the Chief Minister and other state ministers.

‘LeT has owned responsibility’

Andhra Pradesh BJP chief G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said he has received a threat letter purportedly written by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in which it claimed responsibility for the Dilsukhnagar bomb blast. He received the letter by post written in Urdu and English, he claimed at a press conference. — PTI

Search in Kanyakumari

The police along with Intelligence Bureau officials on Sunday conducted search operations in some areas in Kanyakumari following information that certain persons having links with the Hyderabad blasts had come to the seashore town.